Research and Inquiry

Lacking solid information about your market, your customers or your products?

Not sure how to overcome major internal challenges within your organization?

Let us help you find the answers. Our inquiries range from research into the technology and survey research markets to broader sociological inquires into leadership and organizations.

Examples of recent inquiries undertaken by meaning

Technology based inquiries An investigation into price sensitivity in the survey software market Estimations of the size of and opportunities within the global market for research technology Compilation of a guide to web survey technology for an online publisher Compilation of a guide to direct marketing tools and services for a leading national publisher Qualitative inquiries into unmet needs and future directions among technology users A global search for developers and innovators in experimental technologies in textual analysis Commissioned report into the state of the market research technology marketplace

Sociological inquiries Facilitation of an organization-wide collaborative inquiry into business processes which resulted in the adoption of new technologies and working methods An appreciative inquiry approach to strategic development with healthcare providers An evaluation of community development results from a large public sector regeneration project Inquiry into several dysfunctional not-for-profit service organizations and subsequent reconstruction Systemic inquiries into service provision for disabled people with health and social care providers and recommendations for revisioning of delivery

How we do it?

• Our methods include classical quantitative and desk-based research, qualitative interviews and group-based work, action research and participatory approaches.
• In our organizational interventions we adopt a social constructionist approach enabling those involved to make sense of a complex and often conflicting environment.
• We follow an action research approach to evaluation and strategic development, locating research and inquiry as a central component of the healthy organization.

Why meaning?

• Managing Director, Tim Macer is one of the most published writers on technology for survey research and is actively involved in research as a Senior Visiting Fellow at the University of Southampton in Marketing Analytics. Fellow director, Alan Taylor, is currently undertaking a PhD at SOLAR (the centre for Social and organizational Learning as Action Research) at the University of the West of England, Bristol.
• We have been able to develop an in-depth understanding of market research but remain independent of research agencies or suppliers, so are uniquely placed to advise with authority and discretion.
• As researchers ourselves, we adhere strictly to the principles of confidentialiy and, where appropriate, disclosure of information based upon genuinely informed consent.
• The ethical framework by which we operate encourages openness and transparency, which avoids the need for secrecy. You can see the benefit of this approach by the very large amount of material we are able to provide freely in the resources area of this website, so that others may benefit from this knowledge and experience.